Voices
Since 2021, over 100 refugees with the potential to pursue higher education have taken part in "START! Study – University Integration Program at UZH" and its follow-up program "Explore – Academic Orientation Program for Refugees". Through these programmes, they have gained valuable insights into teaching at UZH and developed their language and subject-specific skills. Here you will find a collection of impressions and testimonials about START! Study and Explore.
Table of contents
Alumni Voices
Ali, former participant
My initial phase after arriving in Switzerland as a refugee was marked by great disappointment. I felt as though I had lost significant parts of my educational background—especially the medical studies I had begun in Afghanistan, which were not recognized in Switzerland. Nevertheless, my goal of pursuing a degree in Switzerland remained. During Explore, I was able to improve my German language skills. I also had the opportunity to attend courses in various faculties, gaining insights into different fields of study. Interacting with my fellow students and other Explore participants helped me grow, as I learned a lot from them.
Looking back, these two semesters enabled me to achieve key goals: After Explore I was able to pass the Goethe Certificate at the C1 level and, at the same time, I gained clarity regarding my academic and professional direction. I am currently studying Social Work at the University of Applied Sciences OST in St. Gallen.
In closing, I would like to offer the following advice to other refugees who have the potential to pursue a degree in higher education in Switzerland: Trust in your abilities. With dedication, clear goals, and especially the development of language skills, studying in Switzerland is a realistic and achievable goal.
Elene, former participant
Participating in START! Studium was a very special and formative experience for me. I am grateful to have had this opportunity. During the program, I was able to not only improve my German language skills but also gain valuable insights into university life. The program brought me closer to the university and helped me find my footing in a new academic environment. I developed step by step, and by the end of the program, I knew that studying in this country was possible! I am currently completing an internship in social work, but I plan to begin a degree in business administration in September 2027.
Muska, former participant
I took the opportunity to participate in START! Study an integration pre-course at UZH and it gives me a positive and hopeful feeling every day. It provides me with a good learning environment, supportive professors, friendly classmates and helpful administration. Although I have a master's degree from my home country, it is difficult to find a job. This has impacted my self-confidence. But since I started participating in START! Study, I am getting closer to my goals of continuing my studies and finding a job in my field here in Switzerland.
Tom, former participant
The integration program START! Study opened the doors to education for me. My greatest wish in Switzerland was to enjoy equal freedoms. Despite my difficult asylum situation and the obstacles I faced because of my passport, freedom for me means having the right to study and express my opinion. And now, here at the University of Zurich, I am studying Computer Science with a minor in Business Administration and I am grateful for being able to realize my educational dreams. I am infinitely grateful to UZH for not only putting words equality into action, but actively working towards it. A tribute to the dignity and worth of every human being.
Our program in the Media
Education as a Driver of Returns: Why Integrating Refugees into Higher Education Pays off in Many Ways
Early investments in the integration of refugees into higher education pay off, not only for the individuals concerned, but for the Swiss economy as a whole. This is the conclusion of a cost–benefit analysis conducted by BSS Economic Consultants and the Swiss Forum for Migration and Population Studies (SFM) at the University of Neuchâtel.
The study was commissioned as part of the evaluation of projects funded by the Volkart Foundation and the Mercator Switzerland Foundation between 2021 and 2024. It is based on START! Study, the predecessor programme of Explore.
The analysis examines the costs and benefits incurred by the public sector when a refugee participates in START! Study and subsequently completes a regular degree programme. It applies the concept of fiscal returns to education and compares the costs and benefits of program participation followed by regular study with several alternative scenarios, including employment without a qualification, employment with an upper‑secondary school‑leaving certificate, and non‑employment.
Depending on the comparison scenario, the economic benefits exceed the costs by a factor of 1.3 to 226.6. The returns are particularly high when refugees begin regular degree studies at a younger age and complete them within a shorter period of time.
Download the full analysis
UZH Team Effort Award 2021
The Coordination Office Explore (former START! Study) has received the UZH Team Effort Award 2021. The Team Effort Award is presented at the Dies academicus and recognizes the special commitment of employees or students. The Coordination Office Explore team is very pleased about this sign of appreciation, which not only honors the work of the project team, but also the entire commitment of UZH to the integration of refugees into Higher Education.
- Link to the laudatory speech (only in German)